STARK COUNTY, Ohio — The Stark County Sheriff's Office is seeing a troubling trend on its roads.
In 2025, 33 lives were lost in 31 crashes. The county has seen an increase in fatal crashes since 2023, when there were just 19. In 2024, there were 28 fatalities.
"It's very concerning based on previous years' statistics to see this change and sway in what we had in years prior," Major Ryan Carver with the Stark County Sheriff's Office said.
According to the Stark County Traffic Fatality Review Committee, drug use and the lack of seat belts were common among the 31 fatal crashes in 2025.
Officials said drug use was a contributing factor in more than a third of those crashes. Another factor was alcohol, which was involved in 7 crashes.
The most contributing factor was drivers and passengers not wearing seat belts. No seat belts were worn in 14 of the 31 deadly crashes.
It was the number of pedestrians involved in those crashes that really concerned the sheriff's office. Pedestrians were involved in 11 of the crashes. Each of those pedestrians died from their injuries.
In light of these findings, the Stark County Sheriff's Office is sharing these reminders:
- Never get behind the wheel of a vehicle while impaired. Use a ride-sharing app or designate a driver to take you home instead.
- Put away all distractions.
- If you are a pedestrian, make sure to cross at crosswalks and walk on the sidewalk when possible.
- Last but not least, wear your seat belt while driving or riding in a vehicle. Seat belts reduce the risk of fatalities by half.
